Thursday, January 31, 2013

Sixteen-year-old Juliet Moreau has built a life for herself in London—working as a maid, attending church on Sundays, and trying not to think about the scandal that ruined her life. After all, no one ever proved the rumors about her father's gruesome experiments. But when she learns he is alive and continuing his work on a remote tropical island, she is determined to find out if the accusations are true.

Accompanied by her father's handsome young assistant, Montgomery, and an enigmatic castaway, Edward—both of whom she is deeply drawn to—Juliet travels to the island, only to discover the depths of her father's madness: He has experimented on animals so that they resemble, speak, and behave as humans. And worse, one of the creatures has turned violent and is killing the island's inhabitants. Torn between horror and scientific curiosity, Juliet knows she must end her father's dangerous experiments and escape her jungle prison before it's too late. Yet as the island falls into chaos, she discovers the extent of her father's genius—and madness—in her own blood.

Inspired by H. G. Wells's classic The Island of Dr. Moreau, The Madman's Daughter is a dark and breathless Gothic thriller about the secrets we'll do anything to know and the truths we'll go to any lengths to protect.

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My goodness, where should I even start when talking about Megan Shepherd's The Madman's Daughter... I suppose I could start by saying that I picked it up while reading Ann Radcliffe's The Italian, which was published in 1797 and is considered one of the very first Gothic thrillers. Reading these two novels while simultaneously researching the Gothic novel as a genre gave me an interesting vantage point from which to view The Madman's Daughter as a Gothic novel and, I think, in the end, it may have deepened my love for Shepherd's debut (and for The Italian, which was boring me to tears at the time)!The setting and atmosphere of a Gothic novel is of utmost importance. In fact, the setting is so important it must act as a character itself. For me, the island where Juliet's father has been secretly living and conducting his "research" more than fulfills this requirement. From the moment Juliet learns of the island (and meets the islander accompanying Montgomery, her father's assistant), the reader knows this isn't going to be an island with gorgeous white-sand beaches and hammocks casually strung between trees. While the island's history isn't explored in extreme depth, the reader knows that it is no stranger to misfortune and, perhaps, even sinister death. Plus, it's the home of a mad scientist who was run out of London after performing horrid experiments on living subjects... it's hard to imagine such a man living in a bright, sunshine-y place.The Madman's Daughter might remind readers of Frankenstein as it deals with themes of science versus nature, experimentation for the purpose of creation and life, the meaning of humanity and life, and features a scientist that believes he is doing something good, but whose opinion may be a tad (or a lot) biased. One of the things that I absolutely loved about this novel was how often it made me question: is this wrong? Some of the experimentation itself is wrong, but, after Juliet learns what her father is doing, essentially merging and manipulating different parts of animals to create humanoid creatures, she refers to them as monsters. While I do see how such creatures could be viewed as monstrous, I also grew to care deeply about many of them as the novel progressed. At more than one point, I was actually moved to tears as these creatures suffered. I get a little bit weepy just thinking about it now, weeks after reading. As far as Juliet's father is concerned, I have very strong negative feelings. Though, as a product of the 21st century, I'm not sure that I see his scientific mind and quest for innovation as mad, I definitely still see him as a madman on many other levels. He may have begun as a scientist searching for truth and knowledge, but, by the time the reader meets him, he's off-his-rocker-crazy. The power has gone to his head and, for someone who is obsessed with the secret of creating life, he cares very little about preserving life. Still, after some secrets from Juliet's past are revealed, I couldn't help but take a longer look at Dr. Moreau and consider what he might have been like before.The Madman's Daughter also incorporates some very pro-feminist vibes as Juliet fights against a very anti-women world, culture, and father. She strong, determined, and courageous despite nearly everything being stacked against her. She rebels against her father who sees her primarily as something to use and manipulate and secondly as a burden to marry off. She doesn't take no for an answer when Montgomery tries to prevent her from going to the island nor does she accept the simple answers she's given when she knows there's much more to be learned. I can't imagine any reader calling Juliet Moreau weak.And, to round out an already fantastic plot, there's more than enough romance to satisfy readers who like their heroine's distracted by a guy while fighting their mad father and considering philosophical questions about humanity. In fact, there's a rather intense love triangle featuring two very unique men... but following this tangent would require multiple paragraphs and more than a few spoilers.I could go on and on about The Madman's Daughter, but I'd say it's in your best interest to read this fantastic novel yourself.

Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Ally Carter has released a new free novella that brings together the worlds of her two New York Times bestselling series: The Gallagher Girls and Heist Society! Eeep! I can't really explain how much I adore Carter's books. I'm more than a little obsessed with female spies and thieves plus these books are hilarious. And I love, love, love the idea of characters from the two books meeting!Double Crossed: A Spies and Thieves Story is now available as a free ebook at all online retailers and here. Check out the description below:

Macey McHenry—Glamorous society girl or spy-in-training?

W.W. Hale V—Heir to an American dynasty or master thief?

There are two sides to every coin. Whether these two can work together is a tossup.
Born into privilege, Macey and Hale are experts at mingling with the upper class. But even if they’ve never raised an eyebrow at the glitz, neither teenager has ever felt at home with the glamour. When Macey and Hale meet at a society gala, the party takes a dangerous turn. Suddenly they’re at the center of a hostage situation, and it’s up to them to stop the thugs from becoming hostile. Will Macey’s spy skills and Hale’s con-man ways be enough to outsmart a ruthless gang? Or will they have to seek out the ultimate inside girl to help?

The worlds of Heist Society and the Gallagher Girls collide in Ally Carter’s fast-paced, high-stakes and tantalizing new story. Get a behind the scenes glimpse as Ally delivers an irresistible thriller that is full of her signature style and savvy twists.

The third book in the Heist Society series, Perfect Scoundrels, goes on-sale February 5th (FINALLY) and she’ll be on tour for two weeks! Click here to see if Ally will be in a city near you!

Saturday, January 19, 2013

I am so SO excited about the number of you who have signed up to participate in my 2013 Feminist Reads Challenge! Eeep! I get excited just thinking about all of the awesome, strong girls and women you're all reading about out there!Maria, one of the awesome challenge participants, suggested there be a challenge hashtag for Twitter and I couldn't agree more! Unfortunately, I have no idea what to use as a hashtag because everything felt too vague or too long... I settled on #feministreadschallengeeven though it's SUPER long... if anyone has better suggestions, please let me know!I haven't been reading near as much I'd like to, but I have completed one book so far that can count for the challenge: The Madman's Daughter by Megan Shepherd! In fact, I loved it so much that I've decided to give it away to one of you participating in the challenge!!

I plan on posting a review very soon, but here's a brief synopsis and some other details:

The Madman's Daughter by Megan ShepherdHarperTeen/1.29.2013

In the darkest places, even love is deadly.

Sixteen-year-old Juliet Moreau has built a life for herself in London—working as a maid, attending church on Sundays, and trying not to think about the scandal that ruined her life. After all, no one ever proved the rumors about her father's gruesome experiments. But when she learns he is alive and continuing his work on a remote tropical island, she is determined to find out if the accusations are true.

Accompanied by her father's handsome young assistant, Montgomery, and an enigmatic castaway, Edward—both of whom she is deeply drawn to—Juliet travels to the island, only to discover the depths of her father's madness: He has experimented on animals so that they resemble, speak, and behave as humans. And worse, one of the creatures has turned violent and is killing the island's inhabitants. Torn between horror and scientific curiosity, Juliet knows she must end her father's dangerous experiments and escape her jungle prison before it's too late. Yet as the island falls into chaos, she discovers the extent of her father's genius—and madness—in her own blood.

Inspired by H. G. Wells's classic The Island of Dr. Moreau, The Madman's Daughter is a dark and breathless Gothic thriller about the secrets we'll do anything to know and the truths we'll go to any lengths to protect.

Interested in reading this upcoming gothic thriller featuring a remarkably strong heroine (and one of the most horrible and unsupportive, not to mention definitely anti-feminist, literary fathers I've ever encountered!)?

To be eligible, all you have to do is leave me a link on the Mr. Linky to one of these two things:

Your review of a book you've read for the Feminist Reads Challenge. The review can be posted on your blog, Goodreads, or wherever. (If you've written more than one reviews, link each separately and you'll get an entry for each!)

If you aren't a blogger, or are super busy like me and haven't don't always have time to write reviews in a timely manner, you can leave a link to a tweet, Goodreads status, or something in which you talk about and promote whatever you've been reading/have read for the challenge or promote the challenge. If you're tweeting and can fit it in, don't forget to use #FeministReadsChallenge

For a bonus entry leave a comment on this post talking more about what you've read, plan to read, have read and are considering rereading, like about the challenge, dislike about the challenge, suggestions etc, etc. Comments brighten my day! (I'll add in these entries later before I pick a winner!)

If you want to win this book, but haven't signed up for the challenge, NEVER FEAR! There's still plenty of time to sign up... the year is young! Go here for more information regarding the challenge!

Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Today Eve Edwards, author of The Rogue's Princess, the latest installment in the Lacey Chronicles, is at The Hiding Spot to answer a few questions. If you're anything like me, you'll be terribly jealous of Eve's answers because, as you'll come to find out, she lives in the Shire. Little does she know, we're all coming to stay for a week or so... It'll be like the opening of The Hobbit when all the dwarves come and devour the entire contents of Bilbo's pantry. :)

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The Interview

Did you have trouble writing any of your characters or specific scenes within the novel? Or, were any characters or scenes particularly easy to write?

This book was really fun to write – I actually had very little trouble. I wrote it while sitting on a Tuscan hillside looking over at Florence in the distance. I did hit one hitch: I wanted to know more about early Puritanism for Mercy (the heroine) and her family but I was in Italy with no internet connection. And then a miracle happened: a friend who was staying with us, who is a professor of English literature at Warwick University, had in her bag an academic book on the subject. How weird was that! While my family went off doing the sights, I was in the sixteenth century, helped by the fact that I occasionally had to run out to drive the local goatherd off our washing (that felt very authentic!).

Has the title changed or stayed relatively the same as your novel journeyed towards publication?

There’s a story to that. I wanted to call it something to do with the main male character – an actor or, as they said then, a player, but of course The Player’s Princess has a different meaning now and would suggest he wasn’t loyal to his lady. Actor is not very romantic so that was discarded. I then remembered the law at the time that called wandering theatre companies ‘rogues and vagabonds’ so thought the roguish word would nod to the theatre theme as well as hint at Kit’s playful sense of humour. It is also the book of the trilogy that looks at the ordinary people rather than the court so I liked the sense that you can find someone special at that level – your princess – without going to a palace.

What book or author has most influenced you as a writer or in general?

That is an impossible question, oh cruel blogger! I read so much my brain is a lucky dip of influences that I could not dip in and find the most important one. When writing this book in particular, I was influenced by the fabulous non-fiction account of Shakespeare’s Globe: 1599 by James Shapiro. I hope that does as an answer!

What jobs did you have on your way to becoming a writer/published author? Is there a certain work experience that has shaped your writing?

I’ve been a British diplomat, an academic and worked for a big international humanitarian and development agency called Oxfam. The diplomacy gave me an interest in the human side of politics – very important to the Elizabethan court. The most helpful though was the academic research (I have a doctorate from Oxford University in English Literature). These books are supposed to fun and romantic but I hope the reader also senses there is a foundation in historic fact supporting the story.

If you had to pick a favorite word, what would it be and why?

Serendipity – discovering something wonderful by mistake. That’s what writing historical fiction is like – always finding a glint of gold in the stream of events.

My blog is dedicated to my personal hiding spot, books. Who, what, or where can be credited as your personal escape from reality?

I have many but I like The Lord of the Rings for a good fantasy escape. I live five minutes walk away from the pub where Tolkien and C S Lewis swapped stories and my church is in the street where he wrote the book so I find the fantasy nicely entwines with my daily reality. If you can get over the Peter Jackson version, you’ll find the descriptions of scenery, especially the Shire, look like the countryside where I live. In fact, some of my relatives are part hobbit, I’m convinced of it ; )

Mercy Hart, daughter of one of London's wealthiest and most devout cloth merchants, is expected to marry her equal in rank and piety. Certainly not Kit Turner, a lowly actor and playboy, who also happens to be the late Earl of Dorset's illegitimate son. But when a chance encounter throws them together, Kit instantly falls for the beautiful Mercy's charms . . . and Mercy can't deny the passion that Kit stirs within her. She seems ready to defy her father's wishes--ready to renounce her family and her family name for true love.

Then Kit finds himself accused treason.

Will Mercy have the strength to stand by him? Or will she succumb to pressure and break his heart?

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I often read adult historical romance, but it wasn't until I read Eve Edwards' The Other Countess, the first in the Lacey Chronicles that I really liked YA historical romance. I quickly fell in love with Edwards' writing, which manages to stay surprisingly true to history while adding a contemporary undertone that seems to alleviate the dryness that can easily dissuade readers (like me) from picking up historically accurate novels.This particular installment of the Lacey Chronicles focuses on Kit, the illegitimate brother of the three (legitimate) Lacey brothers: Will, Tobias, and James. The three brothers are introduced in the first book, but, not having read the second book, The Queen's Lady, this was my first real encounter with Kit.Being illegitimate, Kit has lived a much different life than his brothers. He hasn't had the easiest life and, when the reader meets him, he's earning his living as an actor among the troupe that will eventually become the favorite of Queen Elizabeth I, Lord Chamberlain's Men. Though he does appear a bit flamboyant at the start, Kit definitely is more steadfast and serious than first appearances let on. though his love for the innocent Mercy might seem a bit improbable at first, he never wavers. My only issue with this is that the reader isn't really given a compelling reason for his devotion. The reader knows there's more to Mercy than prayers and minding her father, but Kit's love seems to be based solely on her pretty face and other... endowments.Still, Kit does make some rather drastic changes to give Mercy what he believes she deserves. In ways, his transformation mirrors that of Orlando in As You Like It. At first, Kit only shows his love through flowery verses and complimentary words, but he eventually learns that real love takes means much more and takes steps to clean up his life and prove he's serious about Mercy. He doesn't give up things that are fundamental parts of his life that he loves (like the theater or his flashy fashion choices), but he give up rowdy nights at the tavern and stops squandering his money.Mercy is an interesting character. Raised in a very strict Puritan household, she spends most of her days punishing herself for impure and rebellious thoughts. And she definitely has impure thoughts about the dashing Kit... She falls for him before she's aware he's an actor and, therefore, someone her father would never approve of and she's been raised to regard as un-Christian. Kit, his lifestyle, and her feelings challenge her upbringing and everything she's ever known. I was proud of Mercy for standing up to her father and following her heart to Kit, while still staying true to herself and her religion. Though religion plays a big part in understanding Mercy and her actions, it isn't overbearing. Instead it just feels natural and true to the time period. The Lacey Chronicles are set directly before Elizabeth I takes the throne and are pre-Shakespeare (though he does make an appearance or two in this book). It's time period I've always been fascinated with, and I find that Edwards does a phenomenal job at portraying this era realistically. The Rogue's Princess is a historical romance, but it also incorporates political and religious conflict in interesting ways, simultaneously entertaining and teaching.